Privacy Policy

Who I am

It is run by me, Melinda Tognini, as a sole trader, and you can contact me via email, contact[at]melindatognini.com.au, or by mail to PO Box 145, Osborne Park, WA, Australia.

What personal data WordPress collects and why they collect it

Comments

I (Melinda) don’t aim to collect any data from you (unless you sign up for my newsletter, in which case I keep your first name and email address). I do use Google Analytics to collect anonymised data (to see which pages are most useful to visitors).

When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.

An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Cookies

If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you have an account and you log in to this site, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos from YouTube, images from Instagram). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracing your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Analytics

This website has Google Analytics and Slimstat installed which collects anonymised data from all website visitors.

Who we share your data with

Google Analytics can access anonymised data of visitors but it is not shared beyond this site.

How long we retain your data

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.

What rights you have over your data

If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

Where we send your data

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

Email Subscribers

What data I collect and where it’s kept:

I collect your name and email address when you opt in to my email list. This data is held in MailChimp.

Why I need it and how I use it:

I use this information to stay connected with you through my blog – this means that I will send you monthly newsletters with information about new blog posts, writing tips, reading recommendations, creative prompts and other useful links.

How long I keep it:

Your information will be kept until you notify me otherwise; please contact me if you would like your data to be destroyed.

Your legal rights

Under certain circumstances, you have rights under data protection laws in relation to your personal data. These include the right to

If, like me, you've found 2018 to be a bit of a tough year, writing-wise, this post is for you. I've reflected on some of the truths I've had to face up to about writing and trying to get published in the last few months as I've attempted to sell my first book and write by second. I want to give a huge shout out to the writers who have been a part of my community this year (you know who you are)

Congratulations to my friend and fellow #5amwritersclubber, Holden Sheppard, who has just won the TAG Hungerford Award for an unpublished manuscript, which includes a $12,000 prize and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press.

Enjoy the ride, Holden Sheppard, and welcome to the wonderful Fremantle Press family.Our warmest congratulations to Holden Sheppard who has won the 2018 City of Fremantle T.A.G. Hungerford Award for his young adult manuscript 'Invisible Boys'. He has won a $12,000 cash prize and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press. #HungerfordAward ... See MoreSee Less

How much does your writing, art, or other creative practice mean to you? And what would you be willing to risk in order to express yourself?

This Thursday, 15 November, is International Day of the Imprisoned Writer - highlighting writers, journalists (and other artists) who have spoken up, despite risking imprisonment, exile and even death.

Stories that matter The Cost of Speaking Up: International Day of the Imprisoned Writer Melinda Tognini November 13, 2018 No Comments Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email How much does your writing, art, or other creative practice mean to you? And what are you willing to risk in order to express yoursel...

Then please pass on this opportunity to apply for the Youth Curator program at the 2019 Scribblers Festival - which includes the chance to work with AJ Betts - author, the author of Zac and Mia as well as the recently published Hive.

It's the first time in many years that I've wished I was 15 again!Do you have a book hungry teen in your house obsessed with YA literature? They might be interested in applying for our Youth Curator program, not only will they get a pile of books to read but they will also have the chance to meet authors appearing in next year’s Scribblers Festival. Applications close 23 November, see bit.ly/2P7pixO for more info. #scribblersfest #theYACollective #loveozya #yaliterature #educationaustralia ... See MoreSee Less